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Bargain Hunting
Merchant District This seaside city sits on a rugged hill on the shore of a salty harbor, beneath a fruit cocktail sky. A broad street, thick with pedestrian traffic, sidewalk musicians and pickpockets, runs along the hillside, connecting the city's various districts to the sprawling spaceport facility. The buildings of the merchant, casino and tavern districts are domed cylinders of different heights and widths. All of them have the appearance of painted and glazed pottery, with ruddy walls ringed by geometric designs. In the east, barely contained within an encircling metal fence, stands the infamous Ord Mantell junkyard. R8-0N turns its domed top towards the auctioneer a moment, then back, recording all its scans into its memory banks, its light flicking from blue to red under its optic sensor. Warlugg turns its beady black eyes towards the auctioneer and seems to consider the item up for bid. The Gamorrean grunts, but doesn't make any move to bid on the item. Kron looks at the stuff on the auction block and waits abit, for something that she has her eye on As absolutely nobody bids on the item, the auctioneer sighs. "Oh, fine! We'll skip that one. Next up, I have a brace of thermal detonators. Four of them, each one capable of knocking through a ship's hull or vaporizing a dozen opponents. I'll start the bidding at a low seven thousand for the set. Can I get seventy-five?" Bindah Morposs gawks at Rikal. He stands there, unmoving and silent as the cyberneticist raves on about Reward Points and what have you. His jaw works, though this time no secret messages are transmitted; merely the actions of a stunned Aqualish. The shirt is caught in a gust of wind and slips carelessly to the ground. The auction? Ignored for now. Vadi Solis looks down at a datapad attached to her belt. Had the helmet of her powersuit not been in the way, a frown would be visible. She looks back up to the auctioneer, but makes no move to bid. She evidently does not notice Boba Fett nor IG-88 enter the auction area. Boba Fett leans against a storefront. He faces the auctioneer, and raises his hand to place a bid. Warlugg raises its beefy right arm, the one holding the vibro-ax, and shakes it towards the auctioneer while letting out a snort. With measured, mechanical and purposeful steps, the small hydraulic pistons and electronic servos whirring softly, the assassin droid IG-88 enters the merchant district and swivels its cylindrical head to observe the auction in progress. It activates a sensor suite, scanning the crowd as the droid's heavy repeating blaster clicks to active - but neutral - mode. Boba Who? IG-What? Rikal's never heard of them, and in this sea of pure testosterone and bad-ass-ity, Rikal wouldn't be able to distinguish them from the rest of 'that type' here. Rikal watches his shirt fly away and frowns as it is trampled by the mass of people watching the auction "You never seemed like a wool kinda guy anyway... more cotton. Someone'll pick it up hopefully. You still got craploads of rewards point. Next time you come in I'll show you the catalog. Absoutely /fab/ gifts." "Seventy five? Seventy six! Do I hear seventy-seven? You'll not get a better deal than this for these fine specimens of explosive power." This is the auctioneer's line, his jowls moving as he speaks into the droid that functions as a mic holder. R8-0N spins its silver and red top again, " "fweeeeee boop beepbohp tweet moop beep beep beep breeeep fzzzzz durt zoooooo" " Kron pulls out her PDA and pounches a few buttons, give a odd expression then put her PDA away seing that she don't have the cash to bid. Bindah Morposs reaches slowly for the hat and snatches it off his rounded helm. He holds it before his visor, his thoranium grip crunching the brim into pieces. That too is discarded without another thought and he turns back to the auction. "Hoo-mans..." Vadi Solis still does not move to bid on the item. She watches, mostly detached, as Bindah throws off the hat Rikal has given him. She has most of her attention diverted on the auctioneer. Boba Fett is about to raise his hand to bid again, when he catches sight of IG-88. Casually, and without making a point of looking toward the droid, he straightens up, and his hand grasps the handle of the EE-3. Rikal ponders... "Hmm... Thermal Detonators... could be useful around the office." Rikal waits to see how the bidding could go. it would make a nice decoration... and/or weapon of mass destruction. "Anybody else? Seventy-six hundred to the Gamorrean. Have I got another bid? Anyone? Going, going..." The Auctioneer does not yet sell the items, apparently hoping for some luck in finding a better bidder. Target acquired. IG-88's sensor suite pings as its optical receptors are drawn to the individual in the crowd clad in Mandalorian armor and casually bidding on new tools of death and destruction. The heavy repeating blaster switches from neutral to hot active mode. The droid continues to close the distance between itself and Boba Fett, apparently disregarding anyone else in the crowd. The blaster, locked unerringly on Fett, begins its chattering blasts. But, unexpectedly, a Wookiee is just shoving through the crowd to get a closer look at one of the weapons on the block. Unlucky for him, but lucky for Fett. The big hairy Wookiee goes down with a howling death roar, tumbling toward Fett. As violent erupts, The holoemitters come on with an advertisement: Gangrene got your grumpy? Amputation got you Angry? Near-Death getting you disgruntled? Do I have the solution! Seraph Industries' prostechic limbs are just the thing to get you out of the Hospital and back into the Hunt! We've got limbs that can make you stronger, more powerful, and able to impress 'las chicas' From tentacles to testicles, Seraph Industries can put it back wherever your local deity placed it in the first place! Come to Mos Eisley, or contact PDA 5600. Seraph Industries: Your Body, Better. Warlugg's attention is diverted from the auctioneer, not surprisingly, by the sound of multiple blaster shots nearby. Spinning its heavy body around at a sudden distracting sounds behind it, the Gamorrean cleaves one the holograms that just sprang from the metallic disc behind it, slashing diagonally through it with its vibro-ax, and /then/ pausing to assess the situation. Bindah Morposs spins quickly, a hand already gripping the bowcaster at his side. The hulking thoranium giant crouches in a vain attempt to present less a target while he peers into the crowd for the source of violence. Kron turns quickly to see what what was happening with the Blaster shots. Quickly turning in the area of the shootings. Put her hand on her blaster in case she needs her weapon. But stands down and doesn't put it out she is waiting. R8-0N bleeps quite a bit, backing up against the wall as it records what is happening. Vadi Solis makes no move to bid on the item even though the auctioneer obviously desparetely wants someone to do so. She takes this opportunity to scan the crowd for any new arrivals she might recognize. Just as she starts to do so IG-88 opens fire on Boba Fett, hitting a rather unfortunate Wookiee instead. Moments after the first shots ring out she is pulling out her Blastech P11 rifle and looking for cover. She isn't quite sure yet who is shooting at who, but she wants to be in a good position when the smoke settles. Rikal meeps. Violence at a gun show! Who knew!? He is near Bindah, and ducks low as well, starting to head towards the exit, which hopefully is away from the violence. He activates his shield, just in case he manages get confused with a bullseye. Boba Fett dodges to the left, and raises his EE-3, squeezing off a shot at the assasin droid as he drops into a low crouch. The crowd has already begun to panic, however, and a nervous Sullustan chooses *just* the wrong moment to try and flee. His head intersects with Fett's rifle burst, and explodes in a spray of blood and gore. The body slumps to the ground, and screams erupt from the crowd. The auctioneer continues, apparently not really finding anything amiss with violence on Ord Mantell. "Sold to the Gamorrean! You may collect your items after the auction, sir." The ever-present booming of the Rodian's voice keeps itself up, "Next up, I have a hot ticket item. Imperial Stormtroopers covet these weapons, and I've got one for you today. A BlasTech E-14-type blaster carbine. I'll start the bidding at nine thousand credits!" Target evading. IG-88 continues relentlessly forward, weaving its way through some people who are wisely running in all directions to get out of harm's way now that two people at the auction already have died in the crossfire. Violence is common, but it's something that happens to *other* people, normally. People are throwing themselves behind speeders, under building alcoves, in baskets and behind crates. Some aren't looking back as they run to the spaceport, all knees, elbows and bulbous craniums. The assassin droid cares little for this. Its focus remains on the target in the Mandalorian armor. It is a mathematical certainty that Fett's fortuitous living shields will soon run out. R8-0N whistles and clicks as it tries backing further into the wall, but its a wall, and the droid is small. It keeps watch from the elevated ramp it is borrowing. Warlugg looks over the hologram, as if assessing its needs to impress 'las chicas'. The beast finally grunts, and flicks the activator switch on its vibro-ax, sending the already razor sharp head into a nearly invisible blur of vibration. The Gamorrean begins looking over the nearby stalls and through the crowd of panicked people, trying to determine where the most likely threats are positioned. It doesn't seem aware it just won a bid on the four thermal detonators, nor that a new item is coming up on the block. Vadi Solis gets her P11 rifle out and ready to fire. After a moment of scanning she manages to make out IG-88 going after Boba Fett, neither of which she'd seen before. A chance to take out Boba Fett is too good to pass up, especially for a newer bounty hunter like herself. She begins to move herself in a position to take a shot at the bounty hunter gone rogue. One of Boba Fett's potential 'living shields' starts to weave his way through the panicing crowd. Of course, some people are going to join in the melee, and some are staying for the auction. Then again, some people need their heads examined. He feels a sharp kick to his back as someone decides that Rikal isn't panicing fast enough for him, but Rikal manages to stumble forward and not fall... this time. Staying low to the ground, Bindah tediously creeps backwards ever closer to the auction stand. Though he does not bring his weapon to bare, the bowcaster is gripped tight and ready to be swung free if necessary. His gaze hovers briefly over IG-88, then sweeps across the panicked crowds in search of the droid's target. Vadi Solis decides the best position to attack Fett from would be on the platform the auctioneer currently occupies. She gets on the platform, and gets down on one knee, and then begins aiming for Boba Fett, waiting for her chance to take a shot. She tries to monitor the crowd, though difficult as they are all panicing and running in all different directions. She begins to concentrate on her shot at Fett. Boba Fett slings his rifle and watches the droid approach. He presses a control on one of his gauntlets. With a roar, his jetpack ignites, and he takes to the air, hovering over the auctioneer's station. He loads a Type 12-A rocket into his MM-9 wrist rocket launcher, and waits for a clear shot at his attacker. Kron as she notices that the firefight is getting abit more tense. She desides to find some cover we she could see the area around her. Still not knowing what just happened she is trying to get cover at a position we she could see the fight... R8-0N spins its head and bleeps and whistles, high to low, much like a droid that is worried. The half-dozen guards on the platform move as one to block Vadi and remove her from the platform, to get her away from the auctioneer and the cache of weapons there. Target mobile. IG-88 opens up with both the heavy blaster and the medium blaster as Fett elevates into the third dimension near the auctioneering platform. The Mandalorian-armored target's track takes it past both Vadi Solis *and* the auctioneer. The heavy blaster bolts vaporize the auctioneer's head. The medium blaster bolts pop into the wall just behind and to the right of Vadi. Bindah Morposs rolls hard to the left, coming up on his knees and sprinting toward another of the market stalls. His armor of course makes it look more like a controlled fall and speedwalking as opposed to a series of agile maneuvers. Fett spotted, he determines to keep himself well away from the crossfire between these two hunters. Warlugg hears the blast of rocket engines and see the armored figure of Boba Fett launch itself over the crowd. Watching the trail of blaster-fire from somewhere in the screaming crowd following the flying man, the beast seems to realize that as long as it stays out of the way it should be fine. The Gamorrean begins lumbering away from the auction block, moving behind one of the merchant stalls for cover. Rikal takes a hard shot in the back again by people who are just trying to get out of harms way. This time he takes a hard fall on the damp stone ground with an oomph as he tries not to be trampled. A kick to his side by someone who is trying to run over him doesn't help, but he tries to get to a merchant stall. Vadi Solis realizes all of the sudden that the auctioneers platform suddenly isn't the place for her to be. The weapon she is using isn't suited for close range combat, and she is now directly in the line of fire, she attempts to quickly vacates the platform. After she does so, she stays low and begins to move towards a somewhat more optimal range to attack Fett. If IG-88 should fail, off course. Rule number 1 of bounty hunter fun, no interference. Kron getting to a elevation that she could see the area around her she desides to take cover as the rockets explode not to far from her position. She is trying not to get hit with the crossfire. As the auctioneer is down,. the guards decide to make haste and beat a retreat. This doesn't take too long, and the six are gone. Tough as they may have been, they weren't hired to protect a corpse. Boba Fett rises high in the air over where the auctioneer once stood, and raises his arm outward. The rocket, which he has not fired until this moment, tears from its launcher, leaving a white contrail connecting Fett's wrist with the impact point...which unfortunately is just behind IG-88. A small storefront explodes in a shower of glass and stone and metal. Bindah Morposs arrives at the stall first, skirting around to the back just as Fett's missile detonates nearby. After a moment he dares to risk a glance at the enfolding chaos, his weapon at last sliding from his shoulder to rest firmly in hand. R8-0N gets knocked onto its side as the store front behind him explodes. It bleeps in distress and its wheels spin. Kron covers her head as the glass, stone and metal come flying and all directions. She is hoping that the next explosion doesn't hit her. She tried to get a peak of what is happening and pulls out her weapon. Warlugg trudges behind the dubious protection of the merchant stall and finds itself staring at the bulky, armored form of an Aqualish. The Gamorrean snorts at the figure, but its beady black eyes seem to recognize it vaguely. Rikal manages to crawl over to where Warlugg and Bindah are hiding... "Great... just great..." he says softtly as he coughs up some dirt. "I don't suppose anyone knows the fastest way out of this mess?" He doesn't care about a bounty... he cares about not losing any important vital organs in the chaos. Target aggressive. The assassin droid is unfazed by the outburst of debris as it clomps forward, away from the blast, keeping its optical receptors focused on Fett. Now that the famous hunter is clear of the crowd, singled out against the Ord Mantell skyline, he is effectively without protection. No more lucky interference. No more innocent targets in the crossfire. Sensors lock on Fett and the heavy repeating blaster's shots sizzle through the sky as the weapon recoils, calibrates and recoils some more. The first shots zip past Fett as he bobs and weaves through the air - one of the shots hits a holographic advertising orb and another hits the gawking snout of a Rodian on a hotel balcony. But one of the shots clips Fett's right arm. Vadi Solis is now at a better suited range for her P11 Rifle. She tries to find some cover on the opposite side of the street from Bindah. She ducks down behind a merchant stall on that side of the street, but still keeps an eye on what is happening. She keeps her rifle at a ready-arms position, not aimed at anyone, but ready to shoot if necesssary. She watches the continuing battle, looking just in time to see the rocket explode and destroy several merchant stalls. A bit of debris hits her, but bounches off her powersuit harmlessly. She attempts to keep her left side more towards the battle as her right arm panel appears to be missing from the rest of her suit. She watches as the IG-88 fires at Boba Fett, and scores a hit. "Looking for a great deal on Cyb----" begins the advertisement, right before a blaster bolt slams into the orb, causing a tremendous explosion of flame and debris as the hologram quickly fizzles out. Looks like a certain someone isn't getting his deposit back. Kron onces she get in a safe position. She pan and sweeps the area trying to see if she could see whom is shooting. She gets into a prone position trying not to get hit but the flurry of Blasser shots Boba Fett's arm is protected beneath his armor, but some of the armor's external systems are more vulnerable. In particular, the droid managed to strike his jetpack controls, and sparks fly from them. The jetpack stutters and sputters, and the renegade bounty hunter lurches in the air, nearly dropping like a rock. He guides himself down as best he can before the jetpack gives out, careening down toward the scattering bystanders...apparently seeking more cover. He hits the ground on his feet, but his velocity was still too great. No stranger to a jetpack his he, though, and with his swift reflexes he launches himself forward into a roll to absorb the rest of his momentum. "Bang," the Aqualish grunts in answer to Rikal's question, his finger pressed against the side of his helm like a pistol. All jokes aside, he attempts to present as minimal a target as possible whilst not sacrificing visibility. Drawn but not aimed, Bindah's fingers flex around his weapon's grip. R8-0N turns its extensions to try and push itself upright, is scanners still recording what is going on over the crowd. It whistle bleeps again, as if it were stating the obvious, danger, danger. Warlugg turns its attention towards the crawling teenager that just pulled himself behind the merchant's stall with itself and Bindah. The beast leans forward and grunts a bit, gnashing its yellowed teeth, but makes no comment. Target damaged. IG-88 rotates its cylindrical head to follow the descent of its prey. Then the rest of its metallic body turns as well, and the assassin droid begins striding after the rolling Fett. The droid switches to one of its auxiliary weapons: A fireproof durasteel tube with a heavy canister attached, spewing a tongue of orange-yellow flame. Sauntering for all of three steps, Karem arrives from the city's main thoroughfare. By his reaction, he didn't expect to walk into a firefight. This reaction would be most notably a drop to the ground, into a prone position. A quick but careful surveyance of the area leads him to the conclusion that discretion is the better part of valor, and so he begins wriggling backwards, back into the relative peace of the city at large. Vadi Solis keeps low and hopefully protected behind the merchant stall. She now has a pretty good view of the battle in progress. She still has her P11 rifle ready, but she stays still, trying to make herself a hole in space and time. "You're not much of a comedian" Rikal deadpans before looking over at IG-88. "What droid is that? It makes Miles look like a janitorial model..." He can't fight the undulating crowd, and he's not going to attack... so looks like he's stuck with a smelly Gammorean and the Thoranium TinCan. Great. Kron tried to keep herself safe as she realizes that it would be better to stay put where she is. She does keep her weapon in the ready position. Trying to make sure that she doesn't become a headless figure with a single blast. Boba Fett continues to roll several times, but it's clear that it is a controlled motion, as the hunter comes up on his side, arm extended. His quick reflexes, aided by the detailed sensors in his helmet, quickly identify the new threat, and his gauntlet blaster fires at the droid's flame unit. He misses the fuel tanks, but strikes the main fuel line, rupturing it. With a hiss, flamethrower fuel sprays from the ruptured line, just waiting for a spark...or another blaster shot...to ignite it. Not much of a comedian at all. Bindah shimmies backwards and completely behind the meager protection of the stall. It is then that he notices his unlikely companion in hiding: Warlugg. Recognition flitters across his glossy eyes and he offers the Gamorrean a slight nod. R8-0N finally gets itself upright, only to have IG-88 pass it on its way to Fett. It whistles again, and leaves its post, still recording, but not with the nice, slightly higher than everything view. It spins, then clicks as its gets doused in a bit of the fuel, rolling as fast as its little wheels will carry it towards the stall where the Gamorrean, the human, and the Aqualish hunter are at. Vadi Solis gets down as low as she can, seeing the fuel line ruptured by Fett's blaster fire. She still watches the almost surreal battle that has become this evening, the auction of earlier forgotten. She keeps her right arm under her as best she can, as it is unprotected by armor at the moment. Kron hearing a hissing noise she is not completly sure what s happening. She tried to stayed undercover to hte best of her ability. Trying to live a to the end of this day. That's right, without Warlugg on Nal Hutta who's guarding Gorba's Palace? The Gamorrean doesn't quite catch the nod of Bindah, as its watching the Human boy. Reaching down with its free left hand, the beast tries to pull the teenager to his feet. The sound of *beeps* and *whirs* diverts its attention towards the form of R8-0N, rolling its way towards them all, body plates glistening as if just doused with a bucket. Damage detected. IG-88 becomes aware of the critical hit to the flamethrower system, and takes a few moments to discard the weapon. It clatters and clunks about thirty feet away, still spilling fuel as it arcs down into the back seat of a speeder heading away from the fray. Sitting in the back of the speeder is a Trandoshan smoking a rather exotic pipe. He looks down, puffing on the pipe and spilling hot ash. He barely has time to register before he vanishes in a plume of purple and orange flame. Bits of landspeeder hull go everywhere. IG-88 switches back to the repeating blaster and moves to pursue Fett. Rikal gets pulled to his feet by the Gammorrean. He isn't dead yet, so Rikal gives a slight grin to the hog-like creature "Thanks..." he says softly as he watches the melee unfold and the damage and destruction these two people have wrought upon something as simple as a gun auction. Vadi Solis looks up a bit more as the speeder explodes in a fireball. She turns her attention back to IG-88 and Boba Fett as the assassin droid switches back to it's repeating blaster. She gets her rifle back to a good position to fire if needed, she watches intently. Boba Fett clambers to his feet while the droid is preoccupied with the damaged flame unit. He knows just how formidable this foe is, and sees that most of the useful cover in this area has been exhausted. He falls back toward the main thoroughfare, reaching for his rifle again as he does so. Bindah Morposs makes what room he can for the R8 unit. More than once he shoots a glance toward the spaceport or the wrist controls of his jetpack. Ahh, yes, the gun auction. With the auctioneer gone and the guards gone as well, the locker full of weaponry is now left unguarded and ripe for the taking by whomever may decide they want its contents. R8-0N bleeeps! as the flames fly upwards, debrie landing around it. It quickly parks itself behind Bindah, bleeping randomly at him. As the fight moves on, and moves entirely too near to him, Karem reverses direction and now moves further into the merchant district, obviously finding no reason to chase after harm. Instead, he slowly comes to a crouch and moves forward, drawing his pistol as he does so. The rifle at his back remains at his back, untouched as he does his darndest to avoid explosions, blaster bolts, and debris. Kron continues to stay low still trying to see what is going on. She looks to the side of her and see the auctioneer laying on the ground headless. After seeing that sight she desides that is would be to her best intrest not to move from that safety of her current position. Unlike Bindah, Warlugg doesn't seem to give R8-0N much consideration in the limited space behind the merchant stall they've all sought shelter in. The Gamorrean doesn't budge one inch to give the little droid any space. As it snorts in the astromech's direction, the beast's senses detect the unmistakable odor of highly-flammable fuel. It grunts loudly and presses its free hand against the droid's dome, trying to turn it away. Target fleeing. IG-88 sees the target in Mandalorian armor beating tracks for the main thoroughfare. The droid's programming compels it to limit further movement. So, it opens fire with another burst of blaster bolts from the heavy repeating blaster. The first sizzles through Wookiee hide on Fett's shoulder. Another grazes the bounty hunter's sophisticated electronic helmet arrays, leaving him sensor blind. Another is *about* to hit Fett square in the back when a gleaming silver protocol droid is passing behind him. It turns, sees the blast coming, arms angled outward as it watches oblivion approach: "Oh, my." FWOOP! Bits of droid patter the ground and pelt Fett's back. Bindah Morposs peers silently at little R8-0N for a moment, then raises a hand toward the unguarded weapons cache. Not a verbal word is spoken, and there are no signs beyond that one gesture. The hunter moves once more into a position by the stall's edge. A position that provides a view of the action as well as the coveted arsenal. Bindah Morposs speaks into his commlink. Boba Fett staggers as his helmet is grazed. He taps the helmet's external pickups, but rather than return fire, he continues to move into the greater cover of the thoroughfare, and the rest of the city. R8-0N whirrs and clicks at the Gamorrean, then suddenly turns, making a straight line for the stage, well, at least as straight as it can without getting too close to any open flame, or imbetween anyone shooting at anyone else. It gives off a long, shrill beep, as if screaming. Vadi Solis gets up as Boba Fett begins to split. She wants to see what happens, or maybe even get a piece of the action. She begins to move towards the Main Thoroughfare, making sure to keep her distance from both Fett and IG-88. Her rifle is still at ready-arms, just in case. Rikal sees Bindah's hands head towards the cache and nods to him, saying softly "Everyone's got the eyes for the prize... I suppose." Rikal ponders what to do. Join in the mad rush for the total orgy of weapons at the stage... perhaps. Rikal starts to head out slightly towards the stage once the droid and the Mandalorian leave... Kron seing that the firefight is over looks back over to the auctioneer and the lockers that has the weapon. But instead of making a dash to see what she could gte he desided to give a good look around making sure that there is not going to be anymore firefights. Target eluding. Still focused on business at hand, IG-88 continues clomping toward the main thoroughfare, stepping on bits of droid as it goes. "If it would be no trouble, I would be most appreciative if someone could re-attach my --" says the blasted droid's head, just before it is crushed underfoot by the passing IG-88. Main Thoroughfare This seaside city sits on a rugged hill on the shore of a salty harbor, beneath a fruit cocktail sky. A broad street, thick with pedestrian traffic, sidewalk musicians and pickpockets, runs along the hillside, connecting the city's various districts to the sprawling spaceport facility. The buildings of the merchant, casino and tavern districts are domed cylinders of different heights and widths. All of them have the appearance of painted and glazed pottery, with ruddy walls ringed by geometric designs. In the east, barely contained within an encircling metal fence, stands the infamous Ord Mantell junkyard. Vadi Solis enters from the Merchant District, following the bedlam that is the IG-88 vs. Boba Fett battle royale. She stays low and trys to find cover anywhere she can as she follos the two, watching the battle continue to unfold. Boba Fett is halfway across the thoroughfare, nearing the spaceport. IG-88 is in pursuit. The armored hunter looks around for something to distract the assassin droid, and then he has it: an X-34 landspeeder, roughly between him and 88. He slaps a control stud on his belt, activating his sensor no-show. To the naked eye, his image wavers slightly as the sensor-dampening field activates. At the same time, he twists around and drops his shoulder toward the waiting speeder...aiming the jetpack at it. Or more importantly, the heavy explosive rocket atop the jetpack. With a roar, the rocket tears from the jetpack, and strikes the landspeeder with a thunderous clap. A huge, firey explosion fills the street. Target lost. The explosion of Kron's landspeeder occurs near one of the spaceport's auxiliary generator domes, at a moment when the dome's shield door has been opened so a couple of Twi'lek workers in service garb can emerge for a breath of fresh air. That breath is their last, as the tumbling wreckage of the burning landspeeder plows over them, through the doorway, and into the now-vulnerable generator housing. Another explosion goes off, this one far more impressive than anything else so far. The concussive wave blows outward, and even IG-88 has little hope of standing against it. It topples backward to the ground, red telltales flickering. As smoke and dust roils through the street, IG-88 maneuvers itself upright again, guns ready, but it can detect no sign of the elusive and resourceful Fett. Vadi Solis pauses and takes shelter as well as possible as the explosion creates a small shockwave and a nearly deafining roar. She watches for a moment but then hits the ground as the massive explosion occurs. After the shockwave clears she realizes that Fett can only be heading to one place. The spaceport. She begins to quickly move towards that location, not waiting for IG-88 to figure out what she thinks she knows. Boba Fett falls back under the cover of the explosion into the spaceport. If he's to make a stand, it will be there. Target escaping. IG-88 knows full well that the Slave I is parked in this spaceport, and the diversionary tactic took place between the assassin droid and the spaceport. IG-88 begins heading toward the spaceport with renewed purpose. It switches off all safety mechanisms and compensators on the weapons as they go into full combat mode. Vadi Solis continues quickly moving after Fett. Fett had a good head start on her so he was able to reach the spaceport before her, obviously, but she tries to close the gap. Spaceport Twisting passageways lead off to various docking bays and landing pads that serve the motley inhabitants of Ord Mantell. The people found here include the desperate, the deadly, and the destitute - poor souls who have tried their luck in the local casinos and lost their shirts at sabaac, and the ravenous hordes of grifters seeking to take advantage of the next green visitor. In the shadowy side cafes and taverns of the main spaceport complex, patrons make deals for offworld passage or try to secure loans to win back what they lost in the casinos. Sometimes, shots are fired. Prosecution is rare. The explosions from outside have attracted attention in the spaceport, and a crowd begins to mill toward the thoroughfare, looking to see what is happening. Fett pushes his way through them, eyeing the landing pad. Target re-acquired. IG-88 is currently aiming *through* Vadi Solis at Fett with the heavy repeating blaster, preparing to fire. The droid seems intent on succeeding, and will not flinch from killing further innocents - and not-so-innocents - in the crossfire. Too many people. The droid is too close behind...and Fett's Jetpack is still offline. The entrance to the landing pad is tantalizingly close...he can almost reach it. Suddenly, he raises his arm over his head, and flexes his wrist. With a *terthwap!* his whipcord lashes out, wrapping itself around one of the structural supports in the ceiling. Fett activates the retractor, and swings forward, kicking several bystanders out of the way. He swings toward the entrance to the landing pad, and at the height of his arc, cuts loose the whipcord. His momentum propels him forward, through to the landing pad. Vadi Solis sees Fett and begins to again getting into a position to fire. She does not realize IG-88 is behind her. She attempts to again find cover, to hopefully hide behind. She doesn't ever see IG-88 aiming through her, and moving to find cover may have literally saved her life. Target elevating. IG-88 opens fire as Fett elevates - and just as Vadi coincidentally gets out of the way. It saves her life, but doesn't do any favors for a Gamorrean redcap hauling luggage from the landing pad. He gets sizzled with repeated shots from the assassin droid and goes down in a stinky heap with the luggage. IG-88 clomps onward, passing Vadi and the shrieking crowd as he pursues Fett to the pad. Landing Pad The landing pads and docking bays of Ord Mantell are arrayed in a tight sprawl around the crest of a high hill overlooking the harborside city and its expansive tavern and casino districts - as well as the grim rust-scented wastes of the Ord Mantell junkyard. Boba Fett has almost reached the safety of Slave I, only to see the droid pursuing him. He presses a control stuf on his arm, and the ramp of the ship lowers. At the same time, its big guns erupt in covering fire, spraying the ground between him and the droid. A few maintenance droids and a small hovercar explode as the fire from the ship tracks right through them. With that, Fett reaches the ramp, and runs inside. Smoke begins to trickle from the lift rockets of the Slave I ... Flames spurt intermittently from the lift rockets of the Slave I ... The wind suddenly picks up as the Slave I fires its lift rockets and begins its climb upward. The Slave I disappears in the sky above as it continues its climb into orbit. Vadi Solis watches as Fett reaches his ship and manages to take off. She sighs a long sigh, filtered by her mask. She lets her rifle hang, it's barrel pointed at the ground now. She shakes her head slightly, and turns to walk back inside the spaceport. Target escaped. IG-88 moves through the burning wreckage of droids and the hovercar to watch as Slave I fires lift rockets and begins to ascend. The assassin droid lifts its repeating blaster and opens fire at the launching spacecraft, but the weapon is no match for the armor that covers Fett's legendary ship. The thwarted droid whirs softly. Vadi Solis turns as the droid fires at the ship, she stands watching it, unsure what it is going to do next, now that it's lost it's target. Default extermination routine: Active. The droid rotates its cylindrical head so that its receptors can fix on Vadi Solis. Its repeating blaster and medium blaster both come up to aim at the other bounty hunter. Vadi Solis realizes what is about to happen. She has heard stories about the brutal efficieny of IG-88 and she has seen the droids capabilities first hand in the fire fight. She decides that today will not be the day she will go toe-to-toe with this droid, as if that day would ever come. She quickly runs for the entrance of the spaceport trying to get away as fast as possible. Target fleeing. IG-88 opens fire, blasting the archway above Vadi as the human flees. Debris showers the bounty hunter as she runs. The droid then ceases fire. It turns its attention toward the IG-2000 parked nearby. It clomps toward the vessel.. Category:Reach of the Empire Logs